Drinking cup structure

ABSTRACT

A drinking cup may include a cup body, and an inverted V-shaped partition separates the cup body from a bottom end thereof to form two symmetrical compartments at both sides of the partition, and the two compartments are connected at top portions to form a top edge which is connected to an inner edge of an opening of the cup body at both ends thereof, thereby separating the opening into two symmetrical portions. A protruding bar slightly protruding along a middle line of the top edge is configured to be melted by a heat press head of a sealing machine when sealing a sealing film on the opening of the cup body. With the two separated compartments, a customer can have two kinds of drinks by only one drinking cup, which is greener and allows the customer to have more choices.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a drinking cup structure, and moreparticularly to a drinking cup with two separated compartments allowinga user to have two different drinks in the meantime.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For convenience, a drink sold in the market is usually filled in aplastic or paper cup, and the cup is sealed by a sealing film to preventthe drink from spilling out of the cup.

However, the conventional drinking cup is disadvantageous because: thecup only has a compartment to fill with one kind of drink, and whenpeople want to have two kinds of drinks, he needs to buy and carry twocups of drinks, which is inconvenient and may result in waste whendrinks are residual. Therefore, there remains a need for a new andimproved design for a drinking cup to overcome the problems presentedabove.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a drinking cup which has a cup body, andan inverted V-shaped partition separates the cup body from a bottom endthereof to form two symmetrical compartments at both sides of thepartition, and the two compartments are connected at top portions toform a top edge which is connected to an inner edge of an opening of thecup body at both ends thereof, thereby separating the opening into twosymmetrical portions. Furthermore, each of the compartments has a cupbottom, and an outer periphery of the opening has a flange. Since thedrinking cup is integrally formed through a method of injection molding,a top surface of the drinking cup and the top edge of the partition mayhave uneven portions, thus affecting sealing effect. A protruding barslightly protruding along a middle line of the top edge is configured toprovide a support for a heat press head of a sealing machine whensealing a sealing film on the opening of the cup body. The heated heatpress head is configured to melt the protruding bar to smooth a topsurface of the top edge of the partition such that the sealing film isconfigured to firmly attach on the top edge of the partition and theflange to prevent drinks in the two compartments from spilling out orbeing mixed. Moreover, a bottom end of the partition is separated toform a recessed portion, thus allowing the drinking cup stackable.

Comparing with conventional drinking cup, the present invention isadvantageous because: (i) with the two separated compartments, acustomer can have two kinds of drinks by only one drinking cup, which isgreener and allows the customer to have more choices; (ii) with theprotruding bar and the annular protruding portion which are configuredto be borne against and melted by the heat press head of the sealingmachine, the opening of the drinking cup is configured to be firmlysealed by the sealing film thus preventing drinks in the twocompartments from being mixed or spilling out of the drinking cup; (iii)the drinking cup is configured to be sealed by the sealing film or to becovered by the cup lid, which has high applicability; and (iv) byrespectively engaging the engaging space and the clamping groove withthe flange of the drinking cup and the top edge of the partition, thecup lid is configured to be firmly secured on the drinking cup toprevent drinks from spilling out of the drinking cup.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional assembly view of a drinking cup of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating a heat press head of a sealingmachine prepares to attach on a top portion of the drinking cup in thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating the heat press head heats aprotruding bar of a partition of the drinking cup in the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating a sealing film is firmly sealedon the drinking cup of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a three-dimensional assembly view of another embodiment of thedrinking cup in the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of another embodiment illustrating thesealing film is firmly sealed on the drinking cup of the presentinvention.

FIG. 7 is a three-dimensional assembly view of a cup lid of the drinkingcup in the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a three-dimensional assembly view from another angle of thecup lid of the drinking cup in the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view illustrating the cup lid is secured on thedrinking cup of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a schematic view illustrating one of two top portions of thecup lid is selectively opened to allow a user to drink the drinking in acompartment of the drinking cup in the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description ofthe presently exemplary device provided in accordance with aspects ofthe present invention and is not intended to represent the only forms inwhich the present invention may be prepared or utilized. It is to beunderstood, rather, that the same or equivalent functions and componentsmay be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended tobe encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used hereinhave the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill inthe art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods, devicesand materials similar or equivalent to those described can be used inthe practice or testing of the invention, the exemplary methods, devicesand materials are now described.

All publications mentioned are incorporated by reference for the purposeof describing and disclosing, for example, the designs and methodologiesthat are described in the publications that might be used in connectionwith the presently described invention. The publications listed ordiscussed above, below and throughout the text are provided solely fortheir disclosure prior to the filing date of the present application.Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the inventors arenot entitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue of prior invention.

In order to further understand the goal, characteristics and effect ofthe present invention, a number of embodiments along with the drawingsare illustrated as following:

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the present invention provides a drinking cup(10) which has a cup body (13), and an inverted V-shaped partition (11)separates the cup body (13) from a bottom end thereof to form twosymmetrical compartments (14) at both sides of the partition (11), andthe two compartments (14) are connected at top portions to form a topedge (111) which is connected to an inner edge of an opening of the cupbody (13) at both ends thereof, thereby separating the opening into twosymmetrical portions. Furthermore, each of the compartments (14) has acup bottom (12), and an outer periphery of the opening has a flange(15). Since the drinking cup (10) is integrally formed through a methodof injection molding, a top surface of the drinking cup (10) and the topedge (111) of the partition (11) may have uneven portions, thusaffecting sealing effect. A protruding bar (112) slightly protrudingalong a middle line of the top edge (111) is configured to provide asupport for a heat press head (31) of a sealing machine (30) whensealing a sealing film (20) on the opening of the cup body (13). Theheated heat press head (31) is configured to melt the protruding bar(112) to smooth a top surface of the top edge (111) of the partition(11) such that the sealing film (20) is configured to firmly attach onthe top edge (111) of the partition (11) and the flange (15) to preventdrinks in the two compartments from spilling out or being mixed.Moreover, a bottom end of the partition (11) is separated to form arecessed portion (16), thus allowing the drinking cup (10) stackable.

In one embodiment, a top surface of the flange (15) has an annularprotruding portion (151) which is formed along a middle line thereof (asshown in FIGS. 5 and 6) and is configured to be melted by the heat presshead (31) of the sealing machine (30), thereby smoothing the top surfaceof the flange (15) and allowing the sealing film (20) to firmly attachthereon.

In actual application, two different kinds of drinks can respectivelyfill in the two compartments (14) of the drinking cup (10), and theopening of the cup body (13) is configured to be firmly sealed by thesealing film (20). A user can use one or two straws to penetrate thesealing film (20) to have the drinks in the compartments (14).

In another embodiment, the drinking cup (10) is also applied to thekinds of drinks needing to add sugar or cream by replacing the sealingfilm (20) with a cup lid (40) (as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9). An outerperiphery of the cup lid (40) has a double-layer annular lid edge (41)which has an inner layer (411) and an outer layer (412), and an annularengaging space (413) facing down is formed between the inner layer (411)and the outer layer (412). The engaging space (41) further has anengaging edge (414) protruding from the outer layer (412), and the innerlayer (411) is directly connected to an annular groove (42). A clampinggroove (43) formed at a lower surface of the cup lid (40) passes througha center of the cup lid (40) and connects the annular groove (42) at twoends thereof. The clamping groove (43) further has two elastic pieces(44) formed on two lateral walls thereof. Thus, two closed top portions(45) of the cup lid (40) are respectively formed at two sides of theclamping groove (43) and surrounded by the annular groove (42).Moreover, a crease (46) is formed along a middle line of the clampinggroove (43) to connect the lid edge (41) at two ends thereof. When thecup lid (40) is used, the cup lid (40) is secured on the drinking cup(10) by respectively engaging the engaging space (413) and the clampinggroove (43) with the flange (15) of the drinking cup (10) and the topedge (111) of the partition (11) such that the two top portions (45) ofthe cup lid (40), which are respectively aligned with the two separatedportions of the opening of the cup body (13), are configured to preventdrinks from spilling out of the drinking cup (10). On the other hand,referring to FIG. 10, through the crease (46), the two top portions (45)are configured to be selectively opened to allow a user to have drinksinside the compartments (14).

Comparing with conventional drinking cup, the present invention isadvantageous because: (i) with the two separated compartments (14), acustomer can have two kinds of drinks by only one drinking cup (10),which is greener and allows the customer to have more choices; (ii) withthe protruding bar (112) and the annular protruding portion (151) whichare configured to be borne against and melted by the heat press head(31) of the sealing machine (30), the opening of the drinking cup (10)is configured to be firmly sealed by the sealing film (20) thuspreventing drinks in the two compartments (14) from being mixed orspilling out of the drinking cup (10); (iii) the drinking cup (10) isconfigured to be sealed by the sealing film (20) or to be covered by thecup lid (40), which has high applicability; and (iv) by respectivelyengaging the engaging space (413) and the clamping groove (43) with theflange (15) of the drinking cup (10) and the top edge (111) of thepartition (11), the cup lid (40) is configured to be firmly secured onthe drinking cup (10) to prevent drinks from spilling out of thedrinking cup (10).

Having described the invention by the description and illustrationsabove, it should be understood that these are exemplary of the inventionand are not to be considered as limiting. Accordingly, the invention isnot to be considered as limited by the foregoing description, butincludes any equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A drinking cup comprising: a cup body, and aninverted V-shaped partition separating the cup body from a bottom endthereof to form two symmetrical compartments at both sides of thepartition, and the two compartments connected at top portions to form atop edge which is connected to an inner edge of an opening of the cupbody at both ends thereof, thereby separating the opening into twosymmetrical portions; each of the compartments having a cup bottom, andan outer periphery of the opening comprising a flange; a protruding barprotruding along a middle line of the top edge, and a bottom end of thepartition separated to form a recessed portion, thus allowing thedrinking cup stackable.
 2. The drinking cup of claim 1, wherein a topsurface of the flange has an annular protruding portion which is formedalong a middle line thereof.
 3. The drinking cup of claim 1, wherein asealing machine is configured to seal a sealing film on a top portion ofthe cup body through a heat press head, and the heated heat press headis configured to melt the protruding bar to smooth an uneven top surfaceof the top edge of the partition causing by a manufacturing process ofinjection molding such that the sealing film is configured to firmlyattach on the top edge of the partition and the flange to prevent drinksin the two compartments from spilling out or being mixed.
 4. Thedrinking cup of claim 1, wherein a cup lid covers on the top portion ofthe cup body.
 5. The drinking cup of claim 4, wherein an outer peripheryof the cup lid has a double-layer annular lid edge which has an innerlayer and an outer layer, and an annular engaging space facing down isformed between the inner layer and the outer layer; the engaging spacefurther has an engaging edge protruding from the outer layer, and theinner layer is directly connected to an annular groove; a clampinggroove formed at a lower surface of the cup lid passes through a centerof the cup lid and connects the annular groove at two ends thereof, andthe clamping groove further has two elastic pieces formed on two lateralwalls thereof; two closed top portions of the cup lid are respectivelyformed at two sides of the clamping groove and surrounded by the annulargroove, and a crease is formed along a middle line of the clampinggroove to connect the lid edge at two ends thereof.